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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Age campaign awaits Euro verdict | Age campaign awaits Euro verdict |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The European Court of Justice (ECJ) is to rule later on whether it is legal for employers in the UK to force workers to retire at the age of 65. | |
| The case is being brought by Age Concern, which says one in eight MPs would be out of a job immediately if the rule applied to them. | The case is being brought by Age Concern, which says one in eight MPs would be out of a job immediately if the rule applied to them. |
| A British employer can dismiss a member of staff without redundancy payments on that person's 65th birthday. | A British employer can dismiss a member of staff without redundancy payments on that person's 65th birthday. |
| Age Concern says this breaches the EU's Equal Treatment at Work Directive. | Age Concern says this breaches the EU's Equal Treatment at Work Directive. |
| The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are supporting the case, which is also backed by Help the Aged. | The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are supporting the case, which is also backed by Help the Aged. |
| The government points out that existing employment equality regulations do give employees the right to formally request to carry on working beyond 65. | The government points out that existing employment equality regulations do give employees the right to formally request to carry on working beyond 65. |
| Relaxed | Relaxed |
| It says the existing law will be re-examined, and could be relaxed further, in 2011. | It says the existing law will be re-examined, and could be relaxed further, in 2011. |
| But the charities point out that Margaret Beckett, the housing minister, and shadow business secretary Kenneth Clarke would both have been forced to leave the House of Commons by now if the default retirement age applied to them. | But the charities point out that Margaret Beckett, the housing minister, and shadow business secretary Kenneth Clarke would both have been forced to leave the House of Commons by now if the default retirement age applied to them. |
| Ageism in any aspect of society is abhorrent Help the Aged's Paul Cann They accuse the government of double standards and are awaiting a judgement from the ECJ due to take place at 0830 GMT. | Ageism in any aspect of society is abhorrent Help the Aged's Paul Cann They accuse the government of double standards and are awaiting a judgement from the ECJ due to take place at 0830 GMT. |
| Andrew Lockley, a solicitor at Irwin Mitchell, said: "The law needs urgent clarification. The ECJ's decision will guide the High Court when it comes to consider whether the government can justify default retirement at 65. | Andrew Lockley, a solicitor at Irwin Mitchell, said: "The law needs urgent clarification. The ECJ's decision will guide the High Court when it comes to consider whether the government can justify default retirement at 65. |
| "There are also claims of age discrimination by workers who have been retired against their will, which are on hold until the ECJ has given judgement." | "There are also claims of age discrimination by workers who have been retired against their will, which are on hold until the ECJ has given judgement." |
| Help the Aged's Paul Cann said: "Ageism in any aspect of society is abhorrent. It is high time the government delivered on its promise of equality for older people." | Help the Aged's Paul Cann said: "Ageism in any aspect of society is abhorrent. It is high time the government delivered on its promise of equality for older people." |